Charging means for distillation-retorts.



E. HEIDERICH.

CHARGING MEANS FOR DISTILLATION RETORTS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 30. 1914.

1,174,979., Patent-ed Mar. 14,1916.

0mg? r y EMIL HEIDEBICH, 0F ZEEBRUGGE BELGIUM.

CHARGING MEANS FOR DISTII ILATION-RETORTS.

Application filed March 30, 1914. Serial No. 828,370.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EMIL HEIDERIGH. citizen of the German Empire,residing at Zeebrugge, Belgium, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Charging the fuel to the retort in compressed and Ishaped form. For this purpose the fuel passes through a duct or hopperwhere it is subjected to side pressure. This duct or filling hopper isprovided with movable side walls which in their motion compress the fueland shape it into a form corresponding substantially to the crosssection of the retort. The fuel is, so to speak,'compressed into theform of a briquet or cake, the cross section of which, althoughcorresponding in shape to that of the retort, is preferably slightlyless than the cross sectional area of the retort so as to allow forexpansion. When this expansion occurs therefore the fuel does not jam onthe side walls of the retort or remain clinging thereto when coked.

The shape of the side walls, which are movable, depends upon the shapeof the retort and these walls are preferably arranged to exercise anincreasing amount of side pressure on the body of the fuel descendingthrough the hopper into a :filling spout, of the retort. This may beeffected by a suitable inclination or tapering of the walls. Theprogressive application of side pressure has the efiect of producing arelatively firm and cohesive block with smooth side surfaces and with aninternal structure which is not readily disturbed or broken up by theincreasing heat owing to the expulsion of the lion]? of the air betweenthe interstices of the The invention is illustrated in one convenientform by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical section through the fillingspout and feed hopperaccording to the present invention. Fig. 2 is a plan of the device.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing as applied to avertical retort of rectangular cross section. The retort walls areindicated at w. A space 1" is left between the retort walls and thefilling piece e for the egress of gas. On the top of the filling piece 6there are provided ledges which support bearings for two transverseshafts '0. These transverse shafts have mounted thereon eccentrics mwhich are connected by links 70 to movable side walls I) of the fillinghopper 7. The links is are pivotally connected at g to these movableside walls.

The movable side walls I) together with the stationary walls 6constitute the duct through which the fuel passes downward to theretort. The movable walls I) together with the mechanism for moving themconstitute means for applying a gradually increasing degree ofcompression on the fuel as it progresses downward through the duct.

In the form illustrated, the movement of the side walls is a continuousoscillating movement about centers or pivots or these centers beingarranged at the upper end. while the connection from the eccentrics m islocated near the lower ends of the walls 6. By means of this device theamount of lateral movement of the walls which of course determines thedegree of side pressure applied to. the fuel, increases as the fuelmoves downward away from the center of oscillation a. The amount of sidemovement and consequently the amount of side pressure applied istherefore a gradually increasing one so that the air in the intersticesbetween the particles of fuel is expelled and the fuel before its entryinto the filler e and retort w is brought into the form of a-more orless cohesive block. For other shapes of retort the side walls I) arecorrespondingly modified. The retorts may be either circular in crosssection, elliptical or of other form. although those mentioned are theprincipal forms in use. The nature of the movement of the walls bdescribed above is found suitable, but other means may be applied andother forms of moving walls may be used. The essential in every case isthat a side pressure is applied to the fuel passing to'the retort so asto expel air and make a more or less consolidated block for feeding tothe retort. With retorts working continuously a continuous block isformed which has an advantageous efiect on the distillation owing to theuniformity obtained. In horizontal or inclined retorts the device isarranged in front of the filler or filling hopper.

I claim: I

1. The combination with an upright gas retort, of a fuel duct leadingthereinto and an upright fuel receptacle above the duct provided withlaterally reciprocable side walls having a range of movement from aposition of separation greater than the width of the duct to a positionof approach less than the width of the duct and'having their. closestapproach adjacent to the receiving end of the duct.

2. The combination with an upright gas retort, of a fuel duct leadingthereinto and an upright fuel receptacle above the duct provided withlaterally reciprocable side walls having a range of movement from apositionof separation greater than the width of the duct to a positionof approach less leading into such retort, and means for caus-,

ing lateral compacting of the fuel while moving toward the duct.

4. The combination with a gas retort, of

gimme a duct through which fuel passes to the retort, and means forsubjecting the fuel in its progress towardsaid duct to graduallyincreasmg compression.

5. The combination with a retort, of a filling .piece therefor and ahopper leading to said filling piece and comprising two relativelymovable lateral wall sections in substantially fixed relation at theends remote from the filling piece and having a range of movementadjacent to the filling piece from a position of greater spread than thewidth of the filling piece to a position of less spread than the widthof the filling piece. y

6. In combination with a retort, a fuel filling hopper comprisinglateral Wall sections pivoted at the ends remote from the retort andhaving means for moving the other ends adjacent to the retort toward andfrom each other.

7. The combination with a gas retort, of filling means therefor providedwith means for gradually and progressively compressing the material fedinto the retort while traveling toward said retort.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

EMIL HEIDERICH. v

Witnesses:

J ULIN M. HEY, M. BRACKE.

